DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Player News Continued

I do.

What else do you think they did? All you can hope for is a chance, so you make moves to give you the best chance.

Just because we guaranteed money doesn't mean we have a guaranteed Super Bowl.

I understand your point...I think...I expect us to be good and compete with the best teams in the league but you understand as well as I do that somewhere in there is a luck factor.

j/c:

luck factor?
I wish I could post a clip of the scene from the movie called "trading places" nineteen eighty two, near the beginning part of the movie where the Dan Akroid character says,
"it's not luck, todd" ...

with Andy Reid it's not luck
with sean mcvay, with Bill Bellichic, with the coach in seattle, it's not all luck.
some yeah.

j/c:



I remember quite a bit of terrible takes without any knowledge on this situation.

This is a clear example why it is so important to let the facts play out before a rush to judgement is made. Public opinion should not factor in guilt and innocent of players and just people in general.

It's why I think media reporting specific names is a bad idea until more details come out.

In reality, until charges are filed, and facts are investigated, there should be no public release of information.

Doesn't matter what they prove or say now, he lives with the stigma, and many will always view him as guilty.

Is that actually true?

Yes. He retired, but is technically still under contract with the Colts. If he came out of retirement, he would immediately be on their roster.

"If it bleeds, it leads."
If they don't run with it, someone else will, and nobody wants to be "scooped". Since people don't actually want News, but rather want to be entertained while pretending to stay informed, this is what we get.

.

He should sue the hell out of them then.

How about this player news comparison, forgive me if, this is on a whim, and all from my foggy memory.
00 0I year, Head Coach Butch Davis, Def Coordinator unknown,
Nineteen Ninetyfour, Head Coach, Belichic, Def Coordinator Nick saban
2023, Head Coach, Kevin stefanski, Def Coordinator, unknown.

Backup Runningbacks, Whoa I think ninetyfour takes because not only was Eric Metcalf technically the 3rd Rb, but Leroy Hoard was technically the backup to Touchdown Tommy Vardell.

2nd place, 00' because JJ pp, James Jackson was an underrated threat behind Travis Prentice, or was William Green around,
either way, the point is that
James Jackson was more proven and more used than current day Jerome Ford.
and while we have a RB/WR today, Felton, he is not as proven as about the 3rd year of Eric Metcalf. and 00 didn't use one, I think

The D line would be tricky to rank, b/c in ninety four, you had 8 future starters but none of them were the de threat of either Jamir Miller in 00, or of course Myles Garret,
but clearly, the ninety four DL was clearly the best in pass pressure and all around ability.

The Browns Wr's in 00, 0I, Kevin Johnson, JuJuan Dawson had been released after 00, Darrin Chivarini, I'm not sure if he was still around, he was the right side #2 in ninetynine, so, Kevin Johnson, Dennis Northcutt, < instrumental in beating the steelers one time,
andre Davis, the WR, not andra the linebacker, and @uincy Morgan, the four deuces as they were all five with Dawson 2nd round picks

Wr in ninetyfour, WOW, I don't remember a much better group after the 86 group broke up,
Michael Jackson, Derreck alexander, < a late first round pick when they had 2 firsts in ninetyone,ish, a group which would later include not only Metcalf, but andre Rison, and a young and unused Keenan McCardell, dummys, I liked him from the start knew he would be good and 80 percent of his career went in san diego? Puke that, what the hey browns? Come on.
plus, Bellichic had a way of efficiency with one of his TEs, 3 which were all forgettable, until you looked back on a loss at their hidden contributions

The Browns Wr. today Probably have a better one and two but only b/c Cooper is included, how would one rank
amari Cooper
Kevin Johnson and
Michael Jackson as one.

Derrick alexander
D.P. J
and Dennis Northcutt

andre Davis
Eric Metcalf
and Elijah Morre.

@uincy Morgan
Keenan McCardell
and Cedric Tillman or Mar@uise Goodwin

somebody told me andre Rison didn't come until a later year, or half the year,

Either way, if Rison were included, the ninetyfour team even outclasses todays group by a nose imo.

The ninetyfour Browns left tackle, or occaisionally right, Tony Jones, was better than Joe Thomas imo, and I've always felt that, Thomas' hall of fame ness aside, Jones was bigger stronger, more dominant, POW and he neutralized Reggie White in the super bowl for the broncos spit, for gosh sake he was better than JT, come on.
Who was LT in 00? who, Roman Oben? in 00, ok,
wait... did he, Oben, also play in a super bowl in a buccaneers uniform against the raiders? some ex browns OL did.

Comparing the ninetyfour, 2000, and 2023 groups by Browns position could be slightly interesting.

THROW… Well… that was… interesting.

Tony Jones better than JT…?… for realz brah?… hit that one last time then pass it over. I obviously need more to see it how you’re seeing it.

??
Did you fire Jim Schwartz?

And to think he was just hired a few months ago. It really is Not For Long. 🙄

Why would they do that? I mean the salary cap can be so easily manipulated surely his cap hit of $29,988,890 in 2023 and $25,453,886 in 2024, the final two years of an extension he signed when he was traded to the Cardinals in 2020 didn't have anything to do with it, right?

I remember Nancy Grace, who I think worked for CNN at the time, trashing the Duke Lacrosse team, calling them all kinds of vile names. The truth comes out and she just moves on down the road.

To quote a nurse from one of my favorite movies, The Verdict, with Paul Newman. "You're all a bunch of whores, you only care about the money. you don't care who you hurt"

Eight players entering a make-or-break year in 2023

The average NFL career is barely three years long, which means you don't get a lot of time to prove you belong once you make it to the league. With that in mind, Chris Trapasso made a list of eight players who need to have a big year in 2023.

Here's a look at half of his list:
Jets (Browns) WR Elijah Moore. "Last year was ghastly for Moore. Not only were there intermittent rumors about his displeasure with the team and offense, but he also had to deal with bad quarterback play. His reception total, receiving yards, and touchdowns all dropped from 2021 totals, and his yards-per-route run average sunk to 0.91. The Jets traded him to Browns this offseason, and with Deshaun Watson, Moore should have drastically more dynamic play from his quarterback. With Amari Cooper in the mix, Moore will not be asked to save Cleveland's offense. If the light doesn't come on this year, though, Moore will be dangerously close to being considered a bust of a former top 35 pick."

Steelers RB Najee Harris. "Harris has yet to average 4.0 yards per carry throughout the course of an NFL season. We all applauded his rookie campaign, though, when he was the heart and soul of an otherwise stagnant, predictable Steelers offense with a shoddy offensive line. In 2022, strides were made up front, but Harris' yards-per-carry average actually dipped from 3.9 to 3.8 and his yards after contact rate reduced from 2.98 as a rookie to 2.74 in Year 2."

Browns OT Jedrick Wills. "As a rookie, Wills looked the part of the second offensive tackle selected in a loaded class -- that featured Andrew Thomas and Tristan Wirfs -- at that position in 2020. Only 18 pressures allowed all season? That's budding star stuff from a then-21-year-old rookie. Since then, Wills hasn't taken that ever-elusive next step from budding star to legitimate superstar. Rushers beat him for 28 pressures in 2021 and that number ballooned to 41 last season."

Broncos WR Jerry Jeudy. "Jeudy was drifting near Bust Island, and, ironically, had his best season as a pro during the abysmal 2022 season for Russell Wilson and the Broncos offense. After not scoring a touchdown in an irritating 2021, Jeudy scored six times last year. ... Jeudy falls into this very specific category because he could continue to build momentum toward a monster extension in his fourth season, or has he already reached his peak performance capability in the NFL? If the latter is ultimately the case, there's a strong chance he inks a deal elsewhere next March."

For a full look: https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/...jerry-jeudy-falcons-kyle-pitts-and-more/

Top 10 NFL QBs of 2023: AFC reigns supreme as Jets' Aaron Rodgers joins Bills' Josh Allen, other stars
Assessing the best of the best signal-callers going into the new year

By Cody Benjamin

An elite quarterback may not be the only ingredient in a championship recipe, but it sure goes a long way. Just ask the last two Super Bowl contenders in the Chiefs and Eagles, who went head-to-head with the MVP (Patrick Mahomes) and the MVP runner-up (Jalen Hurts) after respectively edging other star signal-callers, like Buffalo's Josh Allen and Cincinnati's Joe Burrow, in the playoffs.

Football will always be a team sport, which means it's still possible to make a run with a supporting cast that elevates the QB, rather than the other way around. It's just a lot harder to win, let alone sustain success, that way.

It's with that in mind we decided to reassess the best of the best NFL QBs going into the 2023 season. Not all of these would necessarily qualify as "elite" in our book, and yet they represent 10 of the best at their position entering the new year:

10. Kirk Cousins (Vikings)
The inclusion of Cousins on any list of "top QBs" inevitably evokes some scoffing, namely because of the lackluster big-game resume (he's won just a single postseason appearance in eight years as a full-time starter). He may well be entering his final season with the Vikings, who have mirrored his solid-but-unspectacular resume. And yet, in a league full of volatility, he's been consistently durable and accurate, while proving underrated as a big-play thrower. The athletic upside isn't there, and if his pocket isn't cozy, the miscues can snowball. But his on-script efficiency will keep you on the verge of contention every single year.

9. Dak Prescott (Cowboys)
If his old NFC East rival Kirk Cousins can be knocked for crunch-time hiccups, so can Prescott, who's managed a 2-4 postseason record in seven years with a typically high-octane Cowboys offense. As PFF argues, few QBs have also been more sensitive to changes in their supporting cast; he's flashed MVP-level production but also had some serious interception sprees depending on the health of the elite line and weapons around him. His own health is also a question -- he's missed 17 combined games since 2020. When upright, however, he does all the little things well, with the vision to go blow for blow with the best.

8. Lamar Jackson (Ravens)
An unmatched athlete with a mercurial track record, Jackson is under more pressure than most here after securing Baltimore's big-money commitment. His effortless arm hasn't produced efficient, above-average passing production in at least three years, and back-to-back seasons with lingering injuries calls into question his durability. When active, however, he's a true and resilient game-changer, particularly with his slippery, speedy scrambling. Now supported by a new coordinator, deeper receiving corps and more freedom to control his play calls, he's got some of the tools for a playoff leap in year six.

7. Trevor Lawrence (Jaguars)
Of the top 10 QBs here, Lawrence benefits most from projection. But if he went from overmatched and unsupported as a rookie to decisive and aggressive as a sophomore, the former No. 1 overall pick is now poised to sniff MVP territory under Doug Pederson and alongside new No. 1 wideout Calvin Ridley. Lawrence isn't afraid to put the ball in tight windows, which can get him in trouble, but he's got one of the zippiest arms in the league and showed veteran-level fight in his historic comeback of a playoff debut. Just 23, he's got both plenty of room to grow and all the physical traits of an elite pocket gunslinger.

6. Aaron Rodgers (Jets)
Remember when Tom Brady neared the end of his 20-year Patriots tenure, and plenty of respected voices wondered if he'd finally lost his magic, only to then watch him reach new heights amid new scenery? It's the kind of story the Jets are hoping unfolds with Rodgers, who looked mildly resigned to the Packers' makeshift setup in a disappointing 2022 that followed two straight MVP seasons. At 39, A-Rod may well be past his prime. But he's freshly motivated, he's still got pinpoint touch, and with deep weaponry and defensive support in New York, he's got what it takes to make a legit title push.

5. Justin Herbert (Chargers)
Is it wrong to ding Herbert for making a single, unsuccessful playoff appearance through just three seasons? Sure, but when your regular-season standard is so high, the natural expectation is for big-game results to follow. Herbert hasn't been perfect, falling into a conservative approach in a 2022 season that saw him average just 6.8 yards per attempt (well below average among starters). But you don't throw 94 touchdowns to 35 interceptions before age 25 by accident; that's the sixth-best TD:INT ratio in NFL history to this point. And you simply cannot teach his elite build (6-6, 236) and laser arm.

4. Josh Allen (Bills)
Though he's been both durable and victorious, with a 47-18 record in his four seasons as a full-year starter, the supersized Allen invites more danger than most, not only as a frequent power runner but a gung-ho passer. His turnover tendencies are also underrated; since 2019, he's averaged 11 fumbles and 12 picks per year. And yet, with the risk comes great reward. No one comes closer to Patrick Mahomes as a big-play artist through the air, threatening opponents until the last second with an arm built for crunch-time bombs. He's also been plenty stellar in eight postseason bids, with 17 TDs to just four picks.

3. Jalen Hurts (Eagles)
No QB made a more substantial leap in 2022, but Hurts has also gotten better basically every year since the start of his college career. He's far more compact (6-1, 223) than Josh Allen but just as physical as a regular ball-carrier, making his durability a long-term question. And yet he lives up to the dual-threat billing with vastly improved downfield vision and touch, feeding both A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith en route to an MVP-caliber Super Bowl shootout with Mahomes. The X-factor here is his leadership -- a stoic, unshakeable poise that steadies the Eagles organization from top to bottom.

2. Joe Burrow (Bengals)
The former No. 1 pick doesn't boast nearly the athleticism as most of his peers here. But that should speak volumes about his handle on the game -- his instincts, his vision, his reliable precision passing. He's so good at simply being a quarterback -- at owning the pocket, getting the ball where it needs to be when it needs to be there -- that his well-documented on- and off-field swagger is just a bonus. He's not immune to an occasional pick spree, and his damage comes almost exclusively through the air, but there are few better field generals, as evidenced by his two AFC title-game bids in three years.

1. Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs)
The easiest QB to rank by far, Mahomes is the definition of a real-life cheat code in this sport. His freestyling can afford opponents chances to steal the ball, but more often than not, his greatest threat seems to be, well, the possibility of getting bored of his own dominance. A whopping 64-16 as the star point guard of Andy Reid's motion-heavy attack, not including an 11-3 playoff record that includes two Super Bowl titles and already makes him a virtual Hall of Fame lock at 27, Mahomes is a sneaky scrambler. But his video-game numbers are chiefly fueled by those signature acrobatic arm angles, and an inherent big-play mentality that emerges when the lights are brightest and stage is biggest. Chiefs fan or not, he's a wonder to watch, and with wins to show for it.

Honorable mention
A brief word on some of the notable names who didn't quite make the cut: Tua Tagovailoa (Dolphins) flashed elite confidence in his first stretch under Mike McDaniel but has yet to play a full NFL season due to injuries. Justin Fields (Bears) certainly has top-10 traits, especially as a runner, but has a ways to go as an aerial decision-maker; he should benefit from a competent supporting cast this time around. Deshaun Watson (Browns) was once a polished pocket passer, but he hasn't played a full, above-average season in three years. Daniel Jones (Giants) and Geno Smith (Seahawks) must prove their 2022 breakouts weren't a fluke. Derek Carr (Saints) is gutsy and likable, and Jared Goff (Lions) is accurate and underrated, but neither has proven particularly adept at elevating teams without dynamic help. Brock Purdy (49ers) had veteran-level poise in his half-season debut but is coming off a serious elbow injury. And Matthew Stafford (Rams) is another durability concern amid Los Angeles' rebuild. Russell Wilson (Broncos) may still have playoff-caliber play-action material, but Sean Payton has to prove he can get him in rhythm first.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/...kelce-lead-chiefs-ol-greats-pace-eagles/

it's hard to make a @uarterback list, what happened to Kyler Murray?

Injured - Murray tore the ACL and meniscus in his right knee Week 13 last season and is not expected to be ready for Week 1.

NFL WR1 TIERS


[img]https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=736772328452214&set=a.621881076608007&__cft__

I think what is actually the most helpful thing to do is to take things in context. There are 32 NFL teams. Each team has what they have designated as their #1 WR. From your link there are a total of 14 WR's listed in the top 3 tiers. As a result based on the findings of your chart, the Browns have 2 WR's listed as mid tier #1 WR's across the league. Having 2 of the top 20 WR's in the league I take as being a good thing. It's like having two #1 WR's.

Not sure what chart you were looking at, but the chart posted listed 32 teams and their WR1. There is only 1 Brown listed and that's Cooper as a Tier 4 as being the Browns WR1. I'm thoroughly confused where you determined that the Browns have 2 of the top 20 WR's in the league. That is not currently factual by any stretch of the imagination.

Yeah, my bad. That's D.J. Moore pictured beside Cooper, not Elijah Moore.

Speaking of WRs- I'm glad we don't have Hill on team-"Hill said, "I can buy you and the boat," and, "I'm No. 10 with the Miami Dolphins," a police source told Fox Sports "- he's up on assault charges in Fl. It is the silly season- post Tee Shirts and waiting for Training Camp.....dang, I hope we don't have anymore 3am robberies or massage parlor visits while waiting for camp===be smart, men. Go Browns!!!

Ranking NFL 2023 'Triplets,' Part III: Bengals and Chiefs in a league of their own
But which AFC powerhouse landed in the top spot?

By Jared Dubin
14 hrs ago

Just as we did last year and the year before that and the year before that and the year before that and the year before that and the year before that, the crew here at CBSSports.com recently set out to rank each NFL team's "triplets." Why not, right? It's the middle of the offseason, and it's an offseason tradition around these parts.

So, in the space below, we're once again counting down the NFL's best QB-RB-WR/TE trios, grading the expected starters at quarterback and running back and their presumed top pass-catcher for the 2023 NFL season. For some teams, it was obvious who would fill each role. For others, less so. Where we had to make judgment calls on which player would start at quarterback or who would be the top target, we did.

In the space below, you'll see our rankings of these triplets. The first number in parentheses is the team's average ranking based on the votes of several of our staff writers and editors at CBSSports.com, while the second number reflects the high and low end of where our staffers ranked that individual team.

For example, our No. 6 team -- the Dallas Cowboys -- had an average ranking of 6.8, with a high ranking of 5 and a low of 13. We have denoted tier breaks in any place where the difference between the average ranking of one team and another exceeded 2.0. For example, the aforementioned Cowboys had an average ranking of 6.8 and the Chargers had an average of 4.4, so the Chargers begin a new tier.


The panel included myself, John Breech, Jeff Kerr, Tyler Sullivan, Jordan Dajani, Cody Benjamin, Shanna McCarriston, Chris Trapasso, Kevin Steimle, Brett Anderson, Garrett Podell, Joel Magaraci, Kyle Stackpole, R.J. White, Eric Kernish and Eric Kay. The rankings reflect the collective wisdom of this crowd, while the corresponding analysis is mine.

We began this exercise on Tuesday with the bottom third of the league. We continued Wednesday with the middle of the pack,and conclude today with the very top tiers. Without further ado ...

Tier 3: The Cowboys
6. Dallas Cowboys (Avg: 6.8, High: 5, Low: 13)
Last year: 7th

QB: Dak Prescott RB: Tony Pollard WR: CeeDee Lamb

Pollard is at long last the lead back in Dallas, and it looks like his recovery from a fractured ankle has gone well enough that he's been a full participant in the offseason program. If he weren't getting overshadowed by draft-class-mate Justin Jefferson, there would be a whole lot of talk about Lamb getting off to one of the best three-year starts in league history. The only players to match or exceed Lamb's first-three-year totals in receptions (260), receiving yards (3,396) and receiving touchdowns (20) are Jefferson, Odell Beckham Jr., A.J. Green and Michael Thomas. Meanwhile, the people hung up on Prescott's interception total from last season are willfully subjecting themselves to recency bias. Even after last year's disaster, Prescott has the fifth-lowest interception rate among 165 players with 2,000 or more pass attempts in their career. The dude is really good, full stop.


Tier 2: Great, but just short of the best
5. Los Angeles Chargers (Avg: 4.4, High: 3, Low: 7)
Last year: 1st

QB: Justin Herbert RB: Austin Ekeler WR: Keenan Allen

A change in offensive coordinator from Joe Lombardi to former Cowboys coordinator Kellen Moore should finally get Herbert throwing the ball down the field more often. A player with his skill set ranking 31st out of 35 qualifying quarterbacks in air yards per attempt over the past two seasons is inexcusable. Prescott ranked a much more respectable 11th among the same group of players, and if Moore can nudge Herbert in that direction, L.A. will be better for it. Still, his top two targets are likely to remain Ekeler and Allen, who excel at finding the soft spots underneath and remain absolute target monsters who produce at a high level whenever they're healthy.

4. Buffalo Bills (Avg: 4.2, High: 3, Low: 6)
Last year: 3rd

QB: Josh Allen RB: James Cook WR: Stefon Diggs

Allen has a ceiling as a quarterback that is matched or exceeded by only one player, given his unique physical gifts. Prior to his elbow injury last season, he was hitting that ceiling pretty much weekly. Buffalo's short-and-quick passing game pretty much disappeared after the injury, though, as Allen's underneath accuracy became much more scattershot. That affected Diggs' role in the offense, and he appeared none too happy about it. And yet, this remains one of the best QB-WR connections in the entire league, able to threaten defenses to every level of the field and connect at a high rate. Cook will likely split backfield duties with Damien Harris, but his versatility and facility as a pass-catcher gets him the nod here.

3. Philadelphia Eagles (Avg: 4.1, High: 2, Low: 6)
Last year: 16th

QB: Jalen Hurts RB: You Tell Me WR: A.J. Brown

Hurts took a significant step forward last season after the Eagles added Brown, who proved the perfect complement to DeVonta Smith and tight end Dallas Goedert. They were particularly effective on RPO slants and pure deep balls, each of which allow Brown to use his physicality to win at the catch point and his athleticism to turn plays into even bigger gains. Hurts' ability to morph from a dropback passer into a rushing threat is elite, and the only area where he relatively struggled last season was against the blitz. It remans to be seen how this all looks without former offensive coordinator Shane Steichen, and we have absolutely no idea who among Rashaad Penny, D'Andre Swift, Kenneth Gainwell, and Boston Scott will eventually emerge in the backfield, but there's a lot to like here no matter what.


Tier 1: A league of their own
2. Kansas City Chiefs (Avg: 1.6, High: 1, Low: 3)
Last year: 4th

QB: Patrick Mahomes RB: Isiah Pacheco TE: Travis Kelce

1. Cincinnati Bengals (Avg: 1.5, High: 1, Low: 2)
Last year: 2nd

QB: Joe Burrow RB: Joe Mixon WR: Ja'Marr Chase

Kansas City received one stray third-place vote, and that ultimately proved the difference between first and second in this exercise. Patrick Mahomes is the best player on the planet, able to reach heights no other quarterback can achieve due to his unique combination of accuracy, timing, out-of-structure playmaking and arm strength. He and Kelce are the most unstoppable duo in the league, and it almost doesn't matter what running back you slot alongside them.

That said, I have a feeling the perceived difference between Mixon and Pacheco is what ultimately landed the Bengals in first -- even if Mixon was seemingly on the verge of being cut for a portion of this offseason. Burrow and Chase are basically a big play waiting to happen, and the work the entire offense did last year to counteract top-down defenses taking away the deep ball will help them deep into the future.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/...als-and-chiefs-in-a-league-of-their-own/

Ranking NFL 2023 'Triplets,' Part II: Jaguars lead teams in middle of pack; QB situation doesn't affect 49ers
Several AFC contenders lead the way in the middle tiers

By Jared Dubin
Jun 21, 2023 at 5:48 pm ET

Just as we did last year, and the year before that, and the year before that, and the year before that, and the year before that and the year before that, the crew here at CBSSports.com recently set out to rank each NFL team's "triplets." Why not, right? It's the middle of the offseason, and it's an offseason tradition around these parts.

So in the space below, we're once again counting down the NFL's best QB-RB-WR/TE trios, grading the expected starters at quarterback and running back and their presumed top pass-catcher for the 2023 NFL season. For some teams, it was obvious who would fill each role. For others, less so. Where we had to make judgment calls on which player would start at quarterback or who would be the top target, we did.

In the space below, you'll see our rankings of these triplets. The first number in parentheses is the team's average ranking based on the votes of several of our staff writers and editors at CBSSports.com, while the second number reflects the high and low end of where our staffers ranked that individual team.

For example, our No. 13 team -- the Seattle Seahawks -- had an average ranking of 14.3, with a high ranking of 10 and a low of 23. We have denoted tier breaks in any place where the difference between the average ranking of one team and another exceeded 2.0. For example, the aforementioned Seahawks had an average ranking of 14.3 and the Vikings had an average of 11.9, so the Vikings begin a new tier.


The panel included myself, John Breech, Jeff Kerr, Tyler Sullivan, Jordan Dajani, Cody Benjamin, Shanna McCarriston, Chris Trapasso, Kevin Steimle, Brett Anderson, Garrett Podell, Joel Magaraci, Kyle Stackpole, R.J. White, Eric Kernish and Eric Kay. The rankings reflect the collective wisdom of this crowd, while the corresponding analysis is mine.

We began this exercise on Tuesday with the bottom third of the league. We continue Wednesday with the middle of the pack, and we'll finish up Thursday with the top tiers. Without further ado ...

Tier 5: Pretty Good! With Some Questions
20. Chicago Bears (Avg: 19.7, High: 15, Low: 26)
Last year: 30th

QB: Justin Fields RB: Khalil Herbert WR: D.J. Moore

This is a big step forward for Chicago's trio. Fields' performance as a runner last season was second to none, and the Bears did what several teams with young, ascending quarterbacks before them have done in going to get him a No. 1 receiver. Herbert seems likely to split the backfield duties with D'Onta Foreman and/or Roschon Johnson, but should be the leader among that group. If Fields can take a leap as a passer this season, Chicago could ascend significantly higher next year.


19. New Orleans Saints (Avg: 19.3, High: 12, Low: 23)
Last year: 17th

QB: Derek Carr RB: Alvin Kamara (or Jamaal Williams) WR: Chris Olave

Well, this seems about right for the Saints. Olave was fantastic as a rookie and looks every bit like a future star. But Carr has been somewhere between slightly above average and slightly below average for the majority of his career, and Kamara took a step back last year and may or may not be facing a significant suspension. (And Williams' effectiveness is likely overstated right now due to his absurd touchdown rate last season.)

18. New York Giants (Avg: 18.6, High: 11, Low: 23)
Last year: 28th

QB: Daniel Jones RB: Saquon Barkley TE: Darren Waller

Jones may have been the most improved player in the NFL last season, but most of that improvement was about limiting the downside of his play and not discovering the upside. New York took more off his plate and basically asked him to be a runner and short-passer and that was about it. What will things look like if and when the Giants ask him to do more? We're going to find out over these next few years, and at least the team went out and got him a higher-quality pass-catcher in Waller to aid that development.

17. Los Angeles Rams (Avg: 16.8, High: 13, Low: 21)
Last year: 6th

QB: Matthew Stafford RB: Cam Akers WR: Cooper Kupp

This is a steep fall for the Rams, and seems to be based mostly on health. What is the status of Stafford's elbow? Who the heck knows. Is Kupp fully recovered from his ankle surgery? We won't really find out until training camp. Can Akers rediscover any of what made him an exciting prospect before his Achilles tear? It remains to be seen.


16. Las Vegas Raiders (Avg: 15.5, High: 11, Low: 19)
Last year: 9th

QB: Jimmy Garoppolo RB: Josh Jacobs WR: Davante Adams

So, uh, is Jimmy G even going to suit up for the Raiders? Or is that clause in his contract about being released with no penalty before this season about to become very important? That's a situation that seems wildly up in the air. Jacobs is coming off a First Team All-Pro season, but his play last year was wildly out of step with his performance through the first three years of his career. What should we expect going forward? Adams is one of the small handful of best receivers in the NFL, but we don't know who will be throwing him the ball, or what Garoppolo will look like outside of the Kyle Shanahan cocoon if it's indeed him.

15. Detroit Lions (Avg: 15.4, High: 14, Low: 17)
Last year: 24th

QB: Jared Goff RB: David Montgomery WR: Amon-Ra St. Brown

Goff has shown at this point that if he is well protected, he can deliver the ball on time and on target with enough regularity to lead a pretty damn good offense. He doesn't present much of a ceiling beyond what is schemed up for him within the confines of the offense, but when the scheme and the line are as good as Detroit's, that's not as much of an issue. Perhaps Jahmyr Gibbs should be the back here, but Montgomery seems much more likely to be the team's leading rusher, with Gibbs operating as a secondary threat in both the run and pass game.

14. Cleveland Browns (Avg: 14.6, High: 9, Low: 19)
Last year: 11th

QB: Deshaun Watson RB: Nick Chubb WR: Amari Cooper

I'm honestly not sure how anybody chose their rankings for the Browns, because I have no idea what anybody should expect from Watson. He essentially did not play football for about a year and a half, and although it was due to a suspension and not an injury, that is a long time to be away and it is not like you come back and just automatically resume your prior level of play. Can he rediscover that form at all? There appears to be at least a mild degree of confidence here that he can.


13. Seattle Seahawks (Avg: 14.3, High: 10, Low: 23)
Last year: 31st

QB: Geno Smith RB: Kenneth Walker WR: DK Metcalf

The Seahawks were probably last season's biggest (pleasant) surprise, with Geno Smith enjoying a delayed breakout season the likes of which we have rarely seen in the NFL. His combination of accuracy and playmaking was up there with some of the best in the league for most of the season, though he did slow down toward the end of the year. Still, it looks like he's got the faith of our panel, which expects Seattle to be pretty firmly in the top half of the league once again.

Tier 4: Very Good, Maybe Not (Yet) Great
12. Minnesota Vikings (Avg: 11.9, High: 9, Low: 15)
Last year: 15th

QB: Kirk Cousins RB: Alexander Mattison WR: Justin Jefferson

Jefferson currently holds the crown as the best receiver in the league, but Cousins is basically the epitome of a league-average quarterback and we've only seen Mattison act as the lead back a few times in his career so it's fair to have some questions about how he'll fare in that role full time. A ranking just outside the top 10 seems about right.

11. San Francisco 49ers (Avg: 10.0, High: 5, Low: 18)
Last year: 13th

QB: ??? RB: Christian McCaffrey WR: Deebo Samuel

Do you have any idea who will be playing quarterback for the 49ers in Week 1? We don't. And it didn't much matter here. Brock Purdy is still recovering from his elbow surgery. Trey Lance is working his way back from a broken ankle. Sam Darnold might actually have to take some snaps! But CMC and Deebo are so good (and Kyle Shanahan's so good at establishing a high floor for quarterback play) that the Niners checked in just outside the top 10 anyway.


10. Miami Dolphins (Avg: 9.9, High: 3, Low: 13)
Last year: 18th

QB: Tua Tagovailoa RB: Raheem Mostert WR: Tyreek Hill

With the exception of a stray vote at No. 3, every other panelist placed the Dolphins between No. 8 and 13. That seems like the appropriate range for this group given the heights Tagovailoa achieved as a passer last year and the inherent risks involved with him as a player at this point. Hill showing what he did outside of Kansas City last season was pretty outrageous, and at least somewhat unexpected. Mostert will likely share work with Jeff Wilson Jr. and Devon Achane, and we didn't really know which direction to lean with the choice at running back here.

9. New York Jets (Avg: 9.1, High: 7, Low: 13)
Last year: 27th

QB: Aaron Rodgers RB: Breece Hall WR: Garrett Wilson

I'm at least a little surprised there weren't more varied opinions on the Jets. Rodgers took a pretty sizable step backward last season and Hall is coming off a torn ACL. I thought there would be less agreement on whether Rodgers could bounce back and whether Hall would be healthy enough to lead the backfiield, but there was a pretty narrow band of rankings here. Wilson is a future (if not already present) superstar, though, and was able to show that essentially whenever anyone but Zach Wilson was on the field last season.

8. Baltimore Ravens (Avg: 8.8, High: 6, Low: 11)
Last year: 8th

QB: Lamar Jackson RB: J.K. Dobbins TE: Mark Andrews

Baltimore is the only team to check in with the exact same ranking as it did last year. It helps that we're using the exact same three players, even if the Ravens have changed out a lot of the pieces surrounding them -- including the offensive coordinator. Jackson was on track to rediscover top form last season before injuries hit both him and the receiving corps, but the Ravens are clearly hoping Todd Monken can open things up for him and help find avenues to more explosive plays through the air.


7. Jacksonville Jaguars (Avg: 8.4, High: 5, Low: 13)
Last year: 23rd

QB: Trevor Lawrence RB: Travis Etienne WR: Calvin Ridley

I think it will be quite a long time before we find a Lawrence-led group outside the top 10 ever again. His rise last season was a bit overshadowed, but he is elite at avoiding negative plays and over the second half of the season began tapping into his outside-of-structure playmaking and high-level ability to read each layer of the defense. With a true No. 1 wideout now on board in Ridley, he should be able to ascend another level this season.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/...e-dolphins-qb-health-among-top-concerns/

Ranking NFL 2023 'Triplets,' Part I: Cardinals have worst group, Steelers make slight leap from 2022
It was a unanimous bottom ranking for Arizona, Buccaneers drop significantly without Tom Brady

By Jared Dubin
Jun 22, 2023 at 10:45 am ET

Just as we did last year and the year before that and the year before that and the year before that and the year before that and the year before that, the crew here at CBSSports.com recently set out to rank each NFL team's "triplets." Why not, right? It's the middle of the offseason, and it's an offseason tradition around these parts.

So, in the space below, we're once again counting down the NFL's best QB-RB-WR/TE trios, grading the expected starters at quarterback and running back and their presumed top pass-catcher for the 2023 NFL season. For some teams, it was obvious who would fill each role. For others, less so. Where we had to make judgment calls on which player would start at quarterback or who would be the top target, we did.

In the space below, you'll see our rankings of these triplets. The first number in parentheses is the team's average ranking based on the votes of several of our staff writers and editors at CBSSports.com, while the second number reflects the high and low end of where our staffers ranked that individual team.

For example, our No. 32 team, the Arizona Cardinals had an average ranking of 32.0, with a high ranking of 32 and a low of, well... 32. We have denoted tier breaks in any place where the difference between the average ranking of one team and another exceeded 1.5. For example, the Commanders had an average ranking of 28.1 and the Panthers had an average of 26.2, so the Panthers begin a new tier.


The panel included myself, John Breech, Jeff Kerr, Tyler Sullivan, Jordan Dajani, Cody Benjamin, Shanna McCarriston, Chris Trapasso, Kevin Steimle, Brett Anderson, Garrett Podell, Joel Magaraci, Kyle Stackpole, R.J. White, Eric Kernish, and Eric Kay. The rankings reflect the collective wisdom of this crowd, while the corresponding analysis is mine.

Today, we'll start with the bottom third of the league, then we'll continue tomorrow with the middle of the pack, and we'll finish up Thursday with the top tiers. Without further ado...

Tier 9: The Cardinals
32. Arizona Cardinals (Avg: 32.0, High: 32, Low: 32)
Last year: 14th

QB: Colt McCoy RB: James Conner WR: Marquise Brown

Kyler Murray tore his ACL in December and the Cardinals have what is pretty clearly the worst roster in football, so there is zero incentive for them to bring him back at any point this season, let alone a significant portion of it. For that reason, we went with McCoy at quarterback, and the Cardinals were a unanimous pick in dead last by our panel.

Tier 8: The Bottom
31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Avg: 30.2, High: 28, Low: 31)
Last year: 5th

QB: Baker Mayfield RB: Rachaad White WR: Mike Evans

The downgrade from Tom Brady to Mayfield is perhaps the most significant expected drop in quarterback play in the league, even accounting for Brady's relatively subpar 2022 season. Even if we subbed in Chris Godwin for Evans, I can't imagine the Bucs would have ranked much higher than this. As it is, they didn't get any votes above 28th.

30. Houston Texans (Avg: 30.1, High: 28, Low: 31)
Last year: 29th

QB: C.J. Stroud RB: Dameon Pierce WR: Nico Collins

This ranking begins a run on teams with young quarterbacks that mostly goes uninterrupted through the bottom third of the league. Stroud, the No. 2 overall pick in this year's draft, is supported in the backfield by a Day 3 pick from last year, and his presumed top wideout has 70 catches for 927 yards and three scores in two NFL seasons. The Texans have a chance to build things up in the future, but we shouldn't expect big things just yet.

29. Washington Commanders (Avg: 28.1, High: 22, Low: 31)
Last year: 22nd

QB: Sam Howell RB: Brian Robinson WR: Terry McLaurin

The Commies are signaling much more confidence in Howell than our panel apparently has. I feel like this ranking would be quite a bit higher if Jacoby Brissett were expected to start under center for Washington, but that's just an opinion. One of these days, McLaurin will hopefully have a surefire top QB throwing him the ball. He's capable of so much if he eventually gets that chance.


Tier 7: (Mostly) Young QBs, Part I
28.Carolina Panthers (Avg: 26.2, High: 21, Low: 29)
Last year: 26th

QB: Bryce Young RB: Miles Sanders WR: Adam Thielen

Like Stroud, Young is not exactly surrounded by a bevy of skill-position talent. He does have a stronger offensive line in front of him and a veteran back in Sanders, but his top receivers are likely Thielen and D.J. Chark, barring rookie Jonathan Mingo stepping in and immediately asserting himself as the best pass-catching option. For that reason, this group ranks pretty low leaguewide, and barely escaped being ranked inside the bottom tier.

27. New England Patriots (Avg: 25.9, High: 22, Low: 30)
Last year: 21st

QB: Mac Jones RB: Rhamondre Stevenson WR: JuJu Smith-Schuster

Had Matt Patricia not been in charge of New England's offense last season, I think the Pats would probably be in the next tier, rather than sitting way down here. Mac Jones took such a significant step back a year ago that it's tough to place New England much higher than this, but Stevenson is a stud and Smith-Schuster is at least a semi-reliable slot target. Perhaps after a year under Bill O'Brien, the Patriots can take a step forward.

26. Atlanta Falcons (Avg: 25.9, High: 21, Low: 29)
Last year: 32nd

QB: Desmond Ridder RB: Bijan Robinson TE: Kyle Pitts

How you feel about this ranking will likely depend almost entirely on how you feel about Ridder. Did you love him coming into last year's draft? Not much has happened to dissuade you of that opinion. Were you not so high on him? Same story. Most quarterbacks drafted in the third round do not become starter-quality players, though, and it seems like our panel expects that to hold true with Ridder, which drags down the ranking of a team that has drafted two explosive weapons in the top 10 in recent years.


25. Tennessee Titans (Avg: 24.9, High: 20, Low: 29)
Last year: 19th

QB: Ryan Tannehill RB: Derrick Henry WR: Treylon Burks

The exception to the young quarterback run, we have the Titans in a clear period of transition. It's entirely possible that next year's triplets rankings include Will Levis and Tyjae Spears alongside Burks. This definitely seems like a last hurrah for Tannehill and Henry.

24. Indianapolis Colts (Avg: 24.6, High: 16, Low: 30)
Last year: 15th

QB: Anthony Richardson RB: Jonathan Taylor WR: Michael Pittman

Richardson seems likely to be a fantasy football star in short order given his outrageous athleticism and rushing ability, but he may take a while longer to come along as a passer. Armed with Taylor to augment his skills in the run game and Pittman (and Alec Pierce) on the outside to make contested catches and take advantage of YAC opportunities, though, the immediate floor might be a bit higher than people would think for a player with his skill set. (Still, one vote as high as No. 16 seems a bit optimistic.)

Tier 7: Young QBs, Part II
23. Green Bay Packers (Avg: 22.8, High: 13, Low: 27)
Last year: 13th

QB: Jordan Love RB: Aaron Jones WR: Christian Watson

I was shocked to see the Packers get a vote at No. 13, given how little we know about Love and how relatively unproven Watson still is. Jones is one of the NFL's most explosive backs, but he is also heading into his age-29 season, and running backs typically begin to decline well in advance of that age. We haven't seen signs of him slowing down all that much yet, but the cliff typically sneaks up on backs pretty quickly.


22. Pittsburgh Steelers (Avg: 21.9, High: 15, Low: 25)
Last year: 25th

QB: Kenny Pickett RB: Najee Harris WR: Diontae Johnson

If there is any team from this group that is most likely to make a significant jump this year, it might be the Steelers. Second-year quarterbacks typically take a step forward if they are going to end up being any good, and Pickett has an improved offensive line in front of him as well as both Johnson and George Pickens, plus Allen Robinson, Pat Freiermuth, and Darnell Washington in his pass-catching corps. If he makes a leap, the Steelers can certainly jump into the top half of the league.

21. Denver Broncos (Avg: 21.6, High: 19, Low: 27)
Last year: 10th

QB: Russell Wilson RB: Javonte Williams (or Samaje Perine) WR: Courtland Sutton

This ranking seems like a show of faith that Sean Payton can get a lot more out of Wilson than did Nathaniel Hackett. That seems like a safe bet. Still, nobody even had the Broncos in the top half of the league, which is a big difference from last year, when they checked in 10th overall and didn't get any votes lower than 16th.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/...oup-steelers-make-slight-leap-from-2022/

that's a horrible contract for someone who is the most average NFL WR ever

In spite of your evident non fandom of Jed Wills, nobody would want an OT that got a hundred on their wonderlic test anyway. It's Probably not even a possible score.

It's like 'Tuco said in the movie "the good the bad and the ugly" when he said "when you have to shoot, shoot, don't talk.
You want a tackle to block. Block, Block, don't think about it, just block.
It's football not newspapers.